Connector for coaxial cable

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector including a contact member for connection to an outer stranded conductor of a coaxial cable having an inner conductor and a dielectric separating the inner conductor from the outer stranded conductor, the contact member including a pair of spaced sidewalls interconnected by a base to define a generally U-shaped ferrule, a lance formed from each sidewall and extending inwardly of the sidewall at an acute angle in a direction away from the base, the lances being positioned opposite each other and, when the ferrule is crimped about the coaxial cable, each lance piercing and passing between the strands of the outer stranded conductor so that some of the strands are positioned between a lance and an inner surface of a sidewall.

. United States Patent 1191 Esser July 16, 1974 CONNECTOR FOR COAXIAL CABLE Primary Examiner-Joseph McGlynn [75] Inventor: Wilhelm Cornelis Johannes Esser, f or f fl Keatmg; Freder' Tilburg Netherlands 1ck W. Rarmg, Jay L. Se1tch1k [73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: May 4, 1973 An electrical connector including a contact member for connection to an outer stranded conductor of a co- [21] Appl' T 357302 axial cable having an inner conductor and a dielectric separating the inner conductor from the outer [30] Foreign Application Priority Data stranded conductor, the contact member including a May 16, 1972 Netherlands 7206575 P Of Spaced sidewalls interconnected y a base t0 define a generally U-shaped ferrule, a lance formed 52 us. 01. .1 339/97 (3, 339/177 R from each sidewall and extending inwardly of the side- [51] Int. Cl .HOlr 11/20 Wall at an acute angle in a direction y from the [58 Field of Search 339/97, 177, 276 base, the lehees being positioned Opposite each other and, when the ferrule is crimped about the coaxial ca- 5 References Ci ble, each lance piercing and passing between the UNITED STATES PATENTS strands of the outer stranded conductor so that some 3 94 877 7/1965 C 339/97 C of the strands are positioned between a lance and an o ier 3,670,293 6/1972 Garver 339/276 T Surface of a 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CONNECTOR FoR'co xrA CABLE a The present invention relates toan electrical connector including a contact member for connection to an' outer stranded conductor of a coaxial cable;

The'ferrule-Z Z of generally-U configuration in cross-section havinga pair of side walls 24, 26' inter- ,connected by a curved web/28. A lance 30,32 is According to one aspect of the-present invention,

electrical connector includes a contact member for connection to an outerstranded conductor of a coaxial cable having an inner conductor and a; dielectric separating the, inner' co'nductor from the-outer. stranded conductor; the co'ntact, memberincluding Ia "contact member forconnection to an outer stranded conductor of a coaxial cablehaving an inner conductor and a dielectric separatingthe in'ner conductor from outer stranded conductor, the. contact member including a pair or spaced sidewalls interconnectedby'a base vto define a generally U-shaped ferrule, alance formedfrom each sidewall and'extending inwardlyof the sidewallat an acute angle in a direction away from the bas'eythe lances'being positioned opposite each other a'nd*,'when' the ferrule is crimped' about the coaxial cable, each lance peircing and passingbetween the; strandsof the formed from each sidewall24, 26, fthe"lances 30,32 being arranged opposite each other. When the ferrule 22 is crimped to the coaxial cable l the lances 30,32

'pier' ce" the outer insulating sheath 9 and pass between thelstrands of the outer conductor-Tthereby pressing some of the strands: between a surface of the lance'and a portion 'o'fthe outer insulation sheath 9 whi'ch'is backed upfby the inner s'urfaceof aside wall 24, 26"of the ferrule 22. As shown inlFlG. 2', there v is sufficient I space between the'lances 30,-}; after. crimping -fo'r"the ,jinnerconductor3 and the dielectric5 to pass between the lances, The Lcrir'np '.results in at least some of the good stable electricalconnection fduring temperature.

strands of the outer braided conductor? being pressed under pressure against .each lance 30,. 3 2 which give a cy'cling'and accelerated-damp heat cycling.

outer stranded conductor 'so that some of the strands arepositioned between a lanceand an inner surf asidewall; v

and a dielectric separating the innerconductor-from the outer stranded conductor, the electrical connector piercing and passingbetween the strands .of'the'outer stranded conductor. so that some'of the ,st'ra'nds'arje poa The invention is. further concerned in a connection between an electricalconnector and an outer stranded conductor of a coaxial cable having an inner'conductor The sidewalls'24, 26 are crimped'aboutltheouterim sulatingsheath 9 to assist in mechanically maintaining the contact member to theacoaxialcable 1.

An advantage'of the connector of the above embodiment is that: it provides a connection to the outer stranded .conductorof-a coaxial cable wit-houtany spe- .cial preparation of theend of the coaxial cable. which results in- 'a fasterfand a more. economic: connection.

'The particular configuration and arrangement of the i lances-has 'bee ntfound. to give astable electrical coni nection with strandedor braidedp hd ctors of'annular configuration. I, i

1;}. The connector could be about a coaxial sitioned between a lanceand an inner surface'of asidewall. An

the figures of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: v

embodiment Tof the inventionvui r wr te-(ta scribed, by way of example; reference being made: to

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electrical connector con i Y nected to theiend'of aico'axial cable;

FlG.- 2 is as ection -on.the.linell;ll of FIG; 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectionsimilar to FIG; 2. bu't illustrating the configuration of aferrule prior to crimping; and

F IG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective viewillustrating the connection of the ferrule to the outer conductor of than the outside dimension-of the cable-outer stranded conductor and, when the ferrule is crimped about the coaxial cable, each lance piercing and passing between the coaxial cable.

As shown, a coaxial cable 1 comprises an inner conductor 3, a dielectric 5 separating the inner conductor-v had een r'enrov ld; 1 W t is laimed i a 1.A''n electrical onna5ria dinga cam-adm n; her forconnection to an .outer stranded 'conductorwof acoaxial cable having an innerconductor and a dielectric separating the inner conductor from the outer stranded conducto'r,,the contact member including a pair of spaced sidewalls interconnected by a base todefine a generally'U-shaped ferrule; a lanceformed from each said sidewall and extending inwardly of the sidewall'at an acute angle ina direction away from the base with the [free ends of the lances being more-closely v spaced than the'distan'ce between the lances .a t'the 3 from an outer stranded conductor 7, andan outer in sulating sheath 9. An electricalconnectorglflisshown in F l6. 1 terminating anendof the coaxial cablef l The electrical connector 10 includes a'first contact member I an inner surface of a sidewall.

f2 An. electrical connector .as claimed in claim 1, in i 12 and a second contactrnemberspacedfrom, the- I first contact member IZrEach contact member 12, 14

includes a contact partin theform of a pin '16, l8and a ferrule20, 22. As'can be 'seen'most clearly in FIG. 1,

the pins 16, 18 are laterally offset with respect to each other and the ferrules 20, 22 are in spaced'coaxial alignment. The ferrule 20 is generally of 'U, configuration in cross-section; the sides of the U being formed with dragon's teeth" serrations. Ferrule20, as shown in FIG. l, is crimped so that the serrations pierce the I 9 to the'ferrule axis.

dielectric 5 and engage the "inner-conductor; a

points where they are connected to the sidewalls, the

lances being positioned directly opposite each other with the distance between the lance free ends being less the strands of the outer stranded conductor so that some of the strands-fare positioned between a lance and y which the contact-member' -vhas-a contact'part in the iform of apin integral with-the ferrule,- the'pin extending forwardly of'the ferrule but laterally offset with respect 3. An electrical connection between an electrical I corinector'and an outer stranded conductor of a coaxial cablehaving an inner. conductor and a dielectric separating-the inner conductor from the outer stranded conductor. the electrical connector including a contact member having a ferrule including a. pair of spaced sidewalls crimped about the .outer stranded conductor.

eparedend from which the outer insuwhich an outer insulating sheath encloses the outer stranded conductor the ferrule being crimped about the outer insulation sheath and each lance piercing the sheath prior to piercing and passing between the strands of the'outer stranded conductor. 

1. An electrical connector including a contact member for connection to an outer stranded conductor of a coaxial cable having an inner conductor and a dielectric separating the inner conductor from the outer stranded conductor, the contact member including a pair of spaced sidewalls interconnected by a base to define a generally U-shaped ferrule, a lance formed from each said sidewall and extending inwardly of the sidewall at an acute angle in a direction away from the base with the free ends of the lances being more closely spaced than the distance between the lances at the points where they are connected to the sidewalls, the lances being positioned directly opposite each other with the distance between the lance free ends being less than the outside dimension of the cable outer stranded conductor and, when the ferrule is crimped about the coaxial cable, each lance piercing and passing between the strands of the outer stranded conductor so that some of the strands are positioned between a lance and an inner surface of a sidewall.
 2. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, in which the contact member has a contact part in the form of a pin integral with the ferrule, the pin extending forwardly of the ferrule but laterally offset with respect to the ferrule axis.
 3. An electrical connection between an electrical connector and an outer stranded conductor of a coaxial cable having an inner conductor and a dielectric separating the inner conductor from the outer stranded conductor, the electrical connector including a contact member having a ferrule including a pair of spaced sidewalls crimped about the outer stranded conductoR and a lance formed from each sidewall, each lance extending inwardly of the sidewall and piercing and passing between the strands of the outer stranded conductor so that some of the strands are positioned between a lance and an inner surface of a sidewall.
 4. An electrical connection as claimed in claim 3 in which an outer insulating sheath encloses the outer stranded conductor the ferrule being crimped about the outer insulation sheath and each lance piercing the sheath prior to piercing and passing between the strands of the outer stranded conductor. 